Angels 2 211010
Last week we saw how God protects his people. He sent an
army of angels to protect Elisha and his servant while they slept. We are
reminded of promises in the Book of Psalms. One promise was found in Psalm 34:7, The angel of the Lord
encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Elisha’s
servant could not see the angels until the prophet prayed. Then he saw that the
mountain was filled with previously unseen horses and chariots of fire.
During
the 1920s there were several incidences of angelic protection in the life of,
Marie Monsen. A Norwegian missionary in China. These are recorded in her book, A
Present Help. One incidence recounts a time when the missionaries were in a
town surrounded by a rebel army. After the first night of trouble she tells her
story:
“All
our neighbors had kept their doors locked that night until they were forced to
open them by the roars of the soldiers and their thundering knocks. But now and
again they had opened their doors to peep out and see if there was a fire
anywhere near. That was when they had seen our “protectors.” Three soldiers
stood on guard up on the high roof of the Gospel Hall, one at each end and one
in the middle. A fourth had been seated on the porch over the main gate. These soldiers
had kept watch in every direction. (Here is a conversational exchange with one
of the neighbors. It begins with Marie Munson asking a question)
“Who
did you think it was?”
“Soldiers
the General had sent to protect you.”
“Did
they look like the General’s soldiers?”
“They
were taller than any soldiers we had seen.”
“Were
they armed?”
“We
didn’t see that, we only saw their silhouettes, we didn’t dare take time to
look at them carefully.”
“Could
you see their faces?”
“We
saw them best of all.”
“How
was that?”
“They
shone.”
“Who
were they like?”
“They
were foreigners.” (i.e. not Chinese.)
Later
in the day a Christian woman brought in a heathen man. She was bursting to
speak and dancing from one foot to the other in her eagerness. She said to the
man: “Now, you can ask yourself.”
(the
man asked)
“Who
were standing out on the east verandah all last night?”
(Marie
replied) “There was no one there. I locked the door to the verandah myself and
all who were in the house were downstairs.”
(Man
said ) “No, there were many people there each time I opened my door to see if
there was a fire anywhere near us. I couldn’t understand it, because everyone
else wanted to be under cover on such a night.”
“It
must have been angels on guard.”
“There,
listen to that,” the woman said, “now you have heard it yourself, that is just
what I said too.”
The
heathen saw them, it was a testimony to them, but they were invisible to us. It
came powerfully to me and showed me how little we reckon with “The Lord, the God of hosts,” who sends
forth His angels, mighty in strength, “to
do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14
RV). From that time, Psalms 84:12 was a word I learned to abide in consciously
by faith for the rest of my time in China: “O
Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.” This special
protection was given for the sake of the three who were so unfit just then to
face the grim things happening in the city; and the rest of us on the compound
were included in it. Monsen,
Marie. A Present Help . Kingsley Press
A Psalm
was quoted by Satan in the temptation of Jesus following his baptism. Jesus
used scripture in his response so the tempter did likewise. Satan quoted from Psalm 91:11-12, For he will command his
angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will
bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
Satan ignored the fact that all 16 verses of Psalm 91
promise protection to the people of God, not just the Son of God. God uses even
satanic tempting to serve His sovereign purposes. Christ was tempted in all
points, Hebrews 4:15. For we do not have
a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in
every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 1 John 2:16, For all
that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and
pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
The test was to lead future followers of Jesus to be
encouraged to call for help from spiritual forces other than God himself. Jesus
was called on to satisfy his hunger for food, prove that the angels care for
him and subject himself to Satan.
I would like to pause a few minutes and see what we can
learn from Jesus’ temptation. First, we need to recall that Jesus was led into
the wilderness by the Holy Spirit after his baptism not by the tempter. There
was no thought of his being ambushed by the tempter. Quite the other way
around. The tempter was walking into a trap. The very purpose of that trip was
just so he could be tempted by the devil. Not to see what Jesus would do or if
he would give in but to give the devil a chance to fail.
Jesus’ life of ministry was bracketed by temptation. In
neither temptation was there any chance Jesus would fall. In both events there
were angels. Not to prevent what was happening to him but to care for his human
needs after his divine nature won the battle. After the defeat of the tempter
-- Then the devil left him, and behold,
angels came and were ministering to him. Matthew 4:11.
After Jesus prayed, in the garden, Luke tells us, “And there appeared to him an angel from
heaven, strengthening him.” Luke 22:43.
When Jesus faced his greatest test in the garden of
Gethsemane before his arrest one of his disciples drew a sword to protect him.
Jesus said, “Do you think that I cannot
appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of
angels?” Matthew 26:53. Just as there were many angels protecting Elisha
and his servant there were many angels caring for Jesus’ human needs. Certainly
not a false assumption to say that there are many angels caring for his people
today. Remember, I began with that idea in last Sunday’s message. Let’s look
back at that.
Hebrews 13:2 “Do not
neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained
angels unawares.” Nowhere in scripture are we instructed, or even
encouraged, to seek angels to minister to us. However, angels are often reveled
as being present in our time of need. We often use the term, “you’re an angel”.
To thank someone for a kindness done. That is especially true when we hardly
know the person or do not know them at all and they minister to our need.
Last week we looked at the appearances of angels when the
Creator of the universe was born in a stable in Bethlehem. We also saw angelic
support in beginning the mission of taking the good news to places so diverse
as Samaria and Ethiopia. Let’s look at angelic involvement in taking the good
news of Jesus to other people groups.
There was, of course, deep animosity between the Jews and
the Romans. The Romans ruled their empire with an iron fist. However, there are
instances of individual Romans coming to Christ and being influenced by angels.
The first example is found in chapter 5. In this case we
find Peter and some of the other apostles arrested and waiting for charges to
be brought against them. The apostles were charged with leading the people
astray by preaching the gospel and healing people. This could not be tolerated
by the Jewish leadership. Let’s look at the story.
But the high priest
rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and
filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them
in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the
Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go
and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And
when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
We find the second story in chapters 10 and 11. There was a
Roman centurion who was a God fearing man! One day at about the ninth hour (that
would be 3 PM) Cornelius saw an angel of God. Let’s look at that passage of
Scripture.
Acts 10:3-8, About the ninth hour of the day he saw
clearly in a vision an angel of God come in
and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror
and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms
have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to
Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging
with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When
the angel who spoke to him had departed, he
called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended
him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to
Joppa.
The first thing that I notice about this exchange is the
angel knew his name! That should not be a surprise. More than once the word of
God tells us that he knows our names. This man is a commander in what was, at
the time, the strongest military power on earth. When he came face-to-face with
the angel he stared at the angel in terror. We are reminded that angels are
very frightening beings to meet! Most accounts of human-angel contact includes
the human being afraid at least in the beginning. The angel gives him assurance
God is pleased with him.
Now is the time for Gentiles to be brought into the kingdom.
It is very surprising that Peter was chosen. I believe Peter was the most
Jewish of the apostles. The interchange with the angel proves that. In order to
prepare him for the visit God had given Peter a vision. it is found in Acts10:9-16. The next day, as they were on
their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the
sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted
something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and
saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let
down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all
kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And
there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But
Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common
or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time,
“What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened
three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
In order to prepare Peter for the coming encounter with
Romans the Spirit of God gave him a “show and tell”. First, God waited until
Peter was hungry. Then he prompted Peter go up on the housetop and pray while
he was hungry and would be alone. While he was praying he went to sleep. He did
that in the garden of Gethsemane! Then he saw a great sheet descending out of
heaven. On the sheet were all kinds of animals. They were not kosher! As Peter
was looking at the sheet he heard a voice saying, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Now a person must be pretty
legalistic to think that he can answer God the way Peter did. He said, “by no
means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” “What God has made clean, do not call
common.” This happened three times! I submit to you if you can say “by no
means” to God you can’t say, “Lord” and have any meaning in what you say.
Now that God has prepared his heart and mind the men arrive
at the gate.
Acts 10:19-20 “And
while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three
men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them
without hesitation, for I have sent them.”
Peter brought them into the house, ate with them and the
next day left with them to go to Jerusalem. Before the vision he would not have
done any of these things. Peter now understood, at least intellectually, that
in every nation anyone who comes to God can be saved. Let’s continue to read
Luke’s story…
…God anointed Jesus
of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and
healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And
we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in
Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but
God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not
to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate
and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he
commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one
appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To
him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name.”
As he was speaking the Holy Spirit filled the Gentiles just
as he did the Jews on the day of Pentecost. So Peter asked, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing
these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And
he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked
him to remain for some days.” (Acts 10:47-48).
Bad news. All have sinned. The wages of sin is spiritual
death.
Good news. God
showed us his love “for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.” Great News! If you confess with
your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him
from the dead, you will be saved.
All
scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2016.
Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
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